Baseball game



Dec, 17,1946. AES R 2,412,714

BASEBALL GAME Filed April 17, 1944' s Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

Ju/fus Caesar 17, 1946. J. CAESAR BASEBALL 'GAME Filed April 17, 1944 sSheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR. ius Caesar l. i du/ BY I Dec. 17, 1946. I JCAESAR 2,412,714

BASEBALL GAME Filed April 17, 1944 3 Shsets-$heet 3 IINVENTOR. Ju/u/sC'aesar Patented Dec. 17, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BASEBALL GAMEJulius Caesar, Humboldt, Tenn.

Application April 1'7, 1944, Serial No. 531,424

8 Claims.

This invention relates to games, and more particularly to a gameboardfor playing a game of baseball type. i

The objects of the invention are:

To provide a game device including a playing board which may bemanipulated by one of two contestants and which is provided with'additional apparatus which may bemanipulated by the other of the twocontestants in a manner to accomplish a game simulating baseball; andmore specifically To provide a board so mounted or supported that it maybe manipulated by one of the two contestants to propel a ball towardabatter, as in playing baseball, and if theball be hit by the batter,may be caught by a fielder, or if not caught fielded by furthermanipulation of the board to put out the batter advancing to first base,or a runner, or runners, on base advancing to other bases, and in whichboard provision is made for manipulation by the second contestant of abatter in an endeavor to strike the ball and for further manipulation ofa runner, or runners, and their advancement around the bases.

The means by which the foregoing and other objects are accomplished, andthe manner of their accomplishment, will readily be understood from thefollowing specification upon reference to the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a game board having a baseball field inminiatureoutlined thereon, with a batter, runner and fielding devicesshown.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation taken on the line 11-11 of Fig. 1.

Figs. 3, 4, and 6 are enlarged fragmentary views showing various detailsof construction;

Fig. 3 being a sectional elevation taken as on the line III-III of Fig.6, showing one of several brackets supporting the infield or diamondrelatively to the surrounding portion of the board;

Fig. 4 a sectional plan taken on the line IVIV of Figs. 2 and 5, showingbatter mechanism and runner advancing mechanism and the manipulatingmeans therefor;

Fig. 5 a corresponding sectional elevation on the line VV of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 a sectional plan on the line VI-VI of Fig. 2, immediately abovethe surface of the playing board, showing runners approaching first andsecond base and the ball having been manipulated to out off the runnerat first base.

Referring now to the drawings in which the various parts are indicatedby numerals:

' H is a board which has a fiat surface periphvance.

2 erally surrounded by a wall 13, and therewithin an additional oroutfield wall [5, and walls l1. I9 is the infield which is separatedfrom the surrounding field by a continuous slot 2! along which therunners are advanced from home plate 2'3 to the other bases, in mannersimulating the way in which the players on a baseball field ad- Alongthis slot and extended therebeyond, the usual foul lines 24 areindicated.

Positioned at the bases are chair-shapedpockets 25, 21 and29,'representing first, second and third basemen, and outward therefromare positioned two chairs 3| representing short stops, after the mannerof soft ball, and three chairs 33 representing outfielders, these chairshereinafter sometimes being referred to as basemen, and fielders. Thechairs which. represent the three basemen are preferably smaller thanthose representing the outfielders. These chairs may otherwise be of thesame type and are preferably each provided with loose mesh back portionsagainst which the ball if propelledthrough the air on the fly, maystrike substantially without bouncing.

Each of the chairs is provided with a rim 3 which assists in trappingthe ball, particularly along the side, facing the batter, and with aseat portion having an opening 3'! through which the ball 39, if trappedby the chair, drops on the board for easier recapture andreturn to thefielder contestant for the next play. The chairs are each supported bytwo legs 4| which are spaced well apart to minimize interference withthe ball when it is rolling on the board.

The first, second and third basemen are positioned over their respectivebases, the legs MA or the first baseman being on opposite sides of andat equal distances from the base and so spaced apart that with a runner43 in the dotted position 43A, of Fig. 6, that is, having reached thebase, passage of the ball 39 is blocked whether it be to the one side orthe other of the runner. The third baseman, not shown in Fig. 6, issimilarly positioned with regard to that base and the legs MB of thesecond baseman are positioned as shown and accomplish similar blockingwith a runner on second base, such blocking indicating thatthe runner issafe on the plays. The first and third base chairs are preferablyadditionally provided. on their outer sides with wings 25W, 23Wrespectively, which divert inward the ball being fielded toward first orthird base, as the case may be, and make fielding of theball somewhateasier.

Beneath the board is a channelway 45 which extends from an opening 45Ain the outfield end The inneror batters end of the board has a centrallydisposed supporting post 41, which projects downwardly from the boardand is preferably provided at its lower end with a suction cup 41Aadapted to rest on and adhere as to the top of a table As. When not inplay the outer part of the board may be lowered to rest on the table,but in play is supported by the hands, of the player representing theteam in the field.

The infield i9 is separated from surrounding portions of the board I! bythe continuous slot 2! and is supported in such position by brackets orcleats 5!, which are cut away at 55A beneath the slot. Journalled belowthe four corners of the infield are sprockets 53,having vertical hafts,these sprockets carrying an endless chain Disposed at equal distancesalong this chain four open top vertically disposed sockets 5'! adaptedto receive the runners 43, which may be indiscriminately placed in orremoved from such sockets as occasion may require.

The sprocket 53A at home plate is secured on a shaft 59, on which isalso secured a bevel gear 8 I. Gear 5! meshes with a second horizontallydisposed shaft 65 extending through and journalled in the post ll.Secured on the outer end of the shaft 65 is a hand wheel 51 which isadapted for manual manipulation by the contestants representing the teamat bat.

$9 is a batter who carries a bat l l. The batter is mounted on,and turnswith, a vertically disposed post '53, suitably journalled. Also securedto this post is an arm 15 which is urged toward batting position by atension spring H, the arm being disposed through slots F9 in the sides4-! of the channelway. The arm 75 extends beyond these slots and isprovided with a grip portion 15A which is engaged by the finger of theoperator to retract the arm, turn the batter, and retract the bat whichhe carries, release of the finger grip allowing the spring to swing thebat toward the ball. r

. 8| isa flexible bumper against which the arm is swungby the spring I!on release of the grip 15A. Movement of the arm swings the bat in ahorizontal arc, in a path intersecting the usual trajectory path of theball 39 as it is delivered from the pitchers box 45B.

In using the device the board is placed on a table, as the table 49,with the suction cup 41A engaging the table adjacentone edge thereof,and the outer end of the board rested on the opposite edge of the table.The contestants arrange themselves one as a fielding contestant, inadjacency to the outer end of the board, and the other as a battingcontestant, in position to operate the hand wheel 61, and the grip end15A of the arm 15. A runner 43 is placed in the chain socket 5'!adjacent home, plate, the other sockets being left empty, and the gamebegins. The ball 39 is dropped bythe fielding contestant through thehole 45A into the channelway 45 and, by rea- 4 son of the slope of thechannel toward the outfield, remains at the outer end of the channel. Hethen grasps the two sides of the outer end of the board in his hands andraises the board quickly to a position, such as is shown in Fig. 2,establishing a downward path for the ball 39 to the pitchers box andendeavors to establish such slope of the channelway that the ball willbe delivered over home plate in an are or trajectory path similar to thepath P, indicated in such Fig. 2.

The batting contestant retracts the arm 15 by pull on the grip 15Aagainst action of the spring Tl and awaits the pitch and delivery of theball. As the ball is delivered he endeavors to release the grip atproper time to swing the bat and hit the ball, as does the batter whenhe swings at a ball thrown in the game of baseball; If he isunsuccessful a strike is recorded, three strikes, as usual, constitutingan out. If on the other hand the fielding contestant fails todeliver theball in a proper trajectory over the plate, a ball is recorded, theusual four balls being allowed before the batter is given his base.

Should the bat strike the ball and project it forwardly of the plate andwithin the foul lines 24, it is, as in a baseball game, a fair ball. Ifbatted on the fly, the ball strikes in one of the basemens chairs orfielders chairs and does not bounce out, it is an out, althoughobviously thereafter it drops 'down and rolls through the hole 31 insuch chair for recapture for the next play. If the ball bounces out itis an error and the ball must be fielded to a base to get the batterout, or if the ball is hit into the playing field on the fly, or an theboard, it must similarly be fielded toward a base. The battingcontestant, having swung the bat and hit the ball, grasps the hand wheel61 and turns it to actuate the chain 55 and advance the runner 43positioned adjacent home base toward first base. The fielding contestanttilts the board laterally and longitudinally, as he may see fit, andendeavors to roll the ball along the surface of the board toward firstbase in an effort to roll the ball between the legs 4IA of the firstbaseman before the runner, advanced by turn of the wheel 5?, reachesthat base.

In fielding this ball advantage be taken of the side walls it, or thewing 25, or even the wall H to assist in getting a ball to the base intime to head off the runner, it being immaterial whether the ballapproaches the base from the outfield or from some other direction. Ifthe ball passes between ithelegs of the first base.- man before therunner reaches such base, the runner is out, and this out is recordedeven though the ball hit the runner after it passes between the basemanslegs and is bounced back by the runne approaching the base. If, however,the runner reaches the base before the ball, and passage of the ball isblocked by the runner and the basemans legs, the runner is safe. Shouldthe fielder find that he is unable to make the play at first base andthe batting contestant elects to advance the runner past such basetoward second, the play may be continued in an endeavor to head therunner. off at second, or at third, or at home plate. runner has reachedfirst base an additional man is placed in the socket at home plate andon the.

next hit by the batsman playmay, be made at second base for a forced outand continued to.

When a, V

out, and may be doubled off base if they overrun when a fiy is caught.

When three outs have been made the contestants shift position, thebatting contestant changing to fielding contestant, and the fieldingcontestant coming to the plate and becoming the batting contestant,these positions being alternated for the usual nine innings.

Strikes, balls, outs, andhits may be recorded, and runs are scored inthe usual manner of baseball scoring, though in usual practice only theruns will be scored, and as in a ball game, the side making the mostruns is obviously the winher.

It will be understoodthat the post M might be moved away from the batterend toward the outfield end of the board, So long as the shift towardthe outfield end he not sufiicient to interfere with the sharplongitudinal tilting of the board which is necessary to deliver the ballin pitching. However, it is distinctly preferable that the post beadjacent the edge of the board at the batter end in order that movementof the control apparatus, operated by the batter contestant, beminimized and such contestant be not seriously interfered with in hisoperation of the batter and advancement of the runners.

The ball preferably is of soft rubber, but if not of rubber is of suchresiliency that when struck by the bat it may be driven to the outfieldand even occasionally over the wall l5 at the outfield end, in whichlatter case a home run is scored.

It will be noted that the legs of the chairs, as the leg MB of the chair21, in Fig. 2 shows, are inserted in holes in the board surface. Shouldit be desired, additional holes 83, Fig. l, which laterally are spacedto conform to the leg spacing of the chairs, may be provided, into whichthe legs of the shortstop chairs 3| may be transferred to shift thepositions of these chairs, laterally and/ or forwardly, and similarlyholes 85 for shift of the outfielder chairs 35, such shift beingoptional with the fielder contestant, as where a batting contestantconsistently hits to the left or right, or short.

The pitchers box 455 is preferably surrounded by a wall 8? which, asseen in Fig. 2, extends above the board surface, this wall preventingthe ball, while being rolled along the board, from dropping through theboard and also assisting in forming a. pocket, in addition to thefielder chairs, into which, if the ball on the fly drops, the batter isout.

At home plate the corners 89 of the walls ll co operate with a runnercrossing home plate, as do the legs of a baseman with the runner at therelated base in blocking passage of the ball across the base andindicating that the runner is safe.

The sockets 51, Fig. 3, which carry the runners 43, do not project abovethe board surface so that when not carrying a runner. they do notinterfere with fielding the ball.

It will be understood also that the use of the tension spring ll toefiiect the batters swing is typical only of means for this purpose, andthat except where set out in a claim, it is not my intent to limitmyself to the specific detail set out.

I claim:

1. In a game apparatus, a manually manipulable board, a ball, a batter,batting means, and runners, carried by said board, said board beingmarked to simulate a baseball diamond, and field, means adjacent thebatter end of said board supporting said board for universal tiltingmovement, means forming a pathway for'advancement of said runners frombase to base, means for advancing runners along said pathway, means atthe batters end of said board for actuating said batter and adjacentmeans for actuating said advancing means, a channelway for said ballunderlying, and extending from the outfield and toward the batters endof, said board, the outfield end of said channelway being open toreceive said ball, and its opposite end curving upwardly through saidboard forwardly of said batter for delivery of saidball to said batter,means at the bases and additional means in the field for trapping ballsbatted on the fly, said trapping means at the bases, respectively havingsupport members positioned on opposite sides of their related saidbases, spaced to allow free passage of said ball over the base whenunoccupied, but retricted to cooperate with a said runner advanced tothe base to block passage of the ball.

2. In a game apparatus, a board, a batter and runners, carried by saidboard, and a ball, said board being marked to simulate a baseballdiamond and surrounding playing field, means supporting said board foruniversal tilting movement, means forming a pathway for advancement ofrunners from base to base, means for advancing runners along saidpathway, means for actuating said batter, and means for operating saidadvancing means; a channelway for said ball underlying, and extendingfrom the outfield and toward the batters end of, said board, theoutfield end of said channelway being open to receive said ball, and itsopposite end curving upwardly through said board forwardly of saidbatter, for delivery of said ball, means at the bases and additionalmeans in the field for trapping balls batted on the fiy, said trappingmeans at the bases, respectively having support members positioned tocooperate with a runner occupying a base, to block passage of the ball,but allowing free passage when said base is unoccupied.

3. In a game apparatus, a manually manipulatable board carrying abatter, a runner, and a ball, said board being marked to simulate abaseball field, means supporting said board for universal tiltingmovement, means forming a pathway for advancement of runners from baseto base, means for advancing runners along said pathway, manual meansfor actuating said batter and means for operating said advancing means,and means forming part of said board operable by longitudinal tilt ofsaid board for delivery of said ball to said batter, means at the basesand additional means in the field for trapping balls batted on the fiy,said trapping means at said bases respectively having support memberspositioned to cooperate with a runner on base to block passage of theball, but permitting free passage of said ball when said base isunoccupied.

4. In a game device, a ball, and a playing board marked to simulate abaseball diamond and field, said board carrying means for trapping fiyballs, a batter, and removable runners on the base lines; means, at thebatter end of said board respectively for actuating said batter and atits outfield end to eifect pitching delivery and subsequent fielding ofsaid ball, certain of said trapping means being respectively placed atthe bases and each including supports spaced apart 7 to allow freepassage of the ball across the related base when unoccupied, but toblock passage of the ball when a runner occupies the related said base.

5. In a game apparatus, a manually manipulable board, a ball, battingmeans, and means adjacent the batting end of said board supporting saidboard for universal tilting movement, means at the batters end of saidboard for actuating said batting means, a channelway for said ballunderlying, and extending from the outfield and toward the batters endof, said board, the outfield end of said channelway being open toreceive said ball, and its opposite end curving upwardly and openingthrough said board forward '13; of said batting means for delivery ofsaid ball upwardly and rearwardly past said batting means, under manualraising movement of the end of said board opposite said batting means topropel said ball.

6. A game device including a ball, runners and a board mounted formanual tilting to field said ball along its surface, said board havingoutlined thereon a baseball diamond, including bases; means foradvancing runners from base to base, and means, respectively each at asaid base, spaced to permit free passage of said ball across anunoccupied said base, but adapted to block passage when said base isoccupied by a runner.

7. A baseball game device for operation by two contestants, said deviceincluding a board marked to simulate a baseball field, and a ball, saidboard is being tilted by the other said contestant toaccomplish deliveryof said ball.

8. A baseball game device for operation by two contestants, said deviceincluding a board marked to simulate a baseball field, a ball, andrunners, said board having mounted on one end thereof means for battingsaid ball, and adjacent means for advancing said runners, both manuallyoperable by one of said contestants, and beneath said end a singledownwardly extending post supporting said board in raised position foruniversal tilting movement, said board being manually tiltable by theother said contestant to deliver and field said ball, said post beingimmediately adjacent said batting and advancing means, whereby tominimize movement of said manually operable means with respect to thecontestant operating said means, while said board is being tilted by theother said contestant to accomplish delivery and fielding of said ball.

JULIUS CAESAR.

